Rotating barrel ball feeder

ABSTRACT

A cylindrical barrel ( 1 ), mounted on an axis with one higher end and one lower end. The barrel is mounted at the lower end by a motor ( 5 ), and at the higher end by support rollers ( 8 ). The motor is mounted to a guide plate ( 7 ) which is mounted to a frame ( 2 ). The support rollers are mounted to the frame. The barrel has an opening ( 4 ) in the higher end for loading in balls, and two or more release chambers ( 3 ) located on the lower end of the barrel at the outermost edge of the barrel face.

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to devices designed to automatically feed balls into ball-throwing machines.

BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

[0002] Ball-throwing machines may be used in one of two ways: Either with a person feeding each ball into the machine, one at a time, or, with an automatic feeding device to do the job.

[0003] The job of the automatic feeder is to hold balls and release them at consistent intervals. A feeder with a straight chute or track, using a downward slope, with a motorized roller at the lower end for regulating the interval of the ball-release is the most common. The problem with these feeders is that they do not hold enough balls.

[0004] A feeder with a tub, or hopper, holds more balls, but the balls need to be agitated in order to keep them from binding becoming lodged in the tub. The weight of the balls causes friction, which causes the balls to bind in the tub, thus interrupting the feeding.

SUMMARY

[0005] In accordance with the present invention, a ball-feeding device comprises a rotating cylindrical barrel, mounted on an axis, powered by a motor, an opening in the higher end of the barrel for loading in the balls, two or more release chambers located on the lower end at the outermost edge of the barrel face for disbursing the balls, and a guide plate with a hole located at or near the top, the guide plate parallel to the lower face of the barrel.

[0006] Objects and Advantages

[0007] Accordingly, the objects and advantages of the present invention are:

[0008] (a) to provide an automatic ball-feeder that is able to hold a large quantity of balls, which feeds balls at consistent intervals with minimal failure.

DRAWING FIGURES

[0009] In the drawing, FIG. A shows a fully assembled, cut-away side view of the feeder with one ball in each release chamber. Reference numerals in drawings 1 Barrel 2 Frame 3 Release Chambers 4 Infeed Hole 5 Motor 6 Balls 7 Guide Plate 8 Support Roller

DESCRIPTION—FIG. A—Preferred Embodiment

[0010] A preferred embodiment of the feeder is shown in FIG. A. The feeder has a cylindrical barrel 1 (shown in cut-away view) with two or more release chambers 3. The barrel is mounted in a frame 2 at the lower end by a motor 5, and at the higher end by support rollers 8. Near the lower end of the barrel, a hard flat guide plate 7 is mounted to the frame, parallel to the face of the barrel, preventing the balls 6 from being released until they reach the hole located at the top of the guide plate. The motor rotates the barrel. As the barrel rotates, the balls in the barrel tumble and one ball falls into each release chamber. When each release chamber reaches the hole in the top of the guide plate, said ball rolls out of the release chamber and through the hole.

[0011] ADVANTAGES

[0012] From the description above, a number of advantages occur:

[0013] (a) The barrel holds a large quantity of balls, despite being relatively compact in size.

[0014] (b) The rotation of the barrel tumbles the balls which keeps the balls from binding and becoming lodged.

[0015] (c) The rotation of the barrel causes consistent intervals in the release of balls.

[0016] OPERATION

[0017] To use the feeder, it is attached to an electrical power source, and placed proximal to a ball-throwing machine. A transition chute is placed between the feeder and the ball-throwing machine. Balls are loaded into the feeder barrel through the hole in the higher end. When the motor is activated, the barrel rotates, causing balls to roll into the release chambers one at a time, and released as the release chamber lines up with the hole in the top of the guide plate. 

I claim:
 1. In a device for automatically feeding balls into ball-throwing machines comprising a cylindrical barrel, rotates on an axis wherein said barrel has one higher end and one lower end, one opening on the higher end, at least two release chambers on the lower end wherein said release chambers are located at the outermost edge of the face of the barrel. 